July 18, 2012

Never underestimate the power of Budweiser to not only ruin lives but your surroundings as well. We went to bed last Monday night not even imagining the transformation that we were going to witness in the morning.  On the way to the metro we saw a large bus that had been covered in a red Budweiser static decal. Then on down the road we saw a tram that was covered as well. And then when we came into Tolstoy Station all of the beautiful marble walls were covered with the Red Budweiser decals and also a metro train had not escaped the attack.  You can’t escape it. I think you may all know what I am talking about because I’m sure that this “Bud” phenomenon is not limited to this area. As a matter of fact, I heard yesterday that the Budweiser destruction has hit Idaho Falls as well. I’m not even going to post a picture as it is too disgusting and I would hate to give them more advertising. 

Saturday we headed out for our adventure of the day. We went 1.5 miles to Volodymyrs’ka and then headed down to Tithing Street and St. Andrews Church. We first stopped at the Museum of Ancient History of Ukraine which was very interesting and educational. Then we headed down Tithing street where we stopped to admire the many vendor's displays at the real street fair. This is where there are many local artists with their works and you can buy Ukrainian national souvenirs--embroidered shirts and dresses, painted pottery, a variety of folklore figures and Gary's favorite, shopkas. Along the street there are also many artists displaying their artwork. Luckily the ones we liked would not fit in our suitcases. 

Gary in front of the Museum of Ancient History of Ukraine

Man in shopka (Russian hat)

Just before we arrived at St. Andrews we came to Desyatinskoy Street, where there is a well-known monument to the heroes of the movie "For Two Hares", Prone Prokopovne Serkova and Svirid Golohvastov Petrovich. The monument is located here as the main action of the film took place just outside St. Andrew's Church. 

Monument of Two Hares

The sculpture captures the moment when Svirid offers his hand and heart to Prone. There is a folk superstition connect with this monument--if you rub the ring on her finger, it's certain that you will get married.

Superstitious Ring Monument

At the top of the stairs of St. Andrews there is the most incredible view of Kyiv. The Deniper River, the beaches, the East Bank and the Podil (Low Town). This whole area gives you a feeling of 19th Century Kyiv.

View of Kyiv from St. Andrews

St. Andrews Church

I also learned  a little more about the Podil (Low Town) from our adventure last week. Andrew's descent runs from Vladimir and Tithe street to Kontraktova area. The Kontraktova area is one of the oldest squares in Kiev, and was there in the times of Kievan Rus. After the destruction of the upper town, it was a central part of the city.

(picture of Pidol from St. Andrews) 

Street down to Podil

Along with the 19th Century Opera House, the square has a large monument to Skovoroda. Also on the square is the building of the former monastery of Sinai, which now houses the National Bank of Kiev and the region, and the restored monastery bell tower. So after this day we had connected our last two Saturday adventures.

 Monument to Skovodoroda

Opera house and National Bank of Kyiv

Sunday on our way to church, Gary tripped on the stairs at the metro and landed hard on the concrete. Fortunately he only broke his right wrist. I say "fortunately" as the fall was a pretty hard one and could have been so much worse. Monday we went tot he American Hospital and had x-rays and his break was such that it didn't need a cast, just a brace for 2 weeks or more and some pain killers. So we had our first experience with going to the hospital in Ukraine. We later found out that you pay at least ten times more service if you want it in English. We should have just found a missionary to interpret and gone to the Ukrainian Hospital.

After spending the morning at the hospital we met up with Jay and Marcia Stuart (cousins and temple missionaries) and had lunch and then visited the park "Vladimirskaya Gorka." This is the place where on September 13, 1991, Elder Boyd K. Packer stood with Elder Dallin H. Oaks and 41 other people on the hillside overlooking Kyiv and the Dnieper River near the base of the stature of Prince Vladimir who brought Christianity to Ukraine 1,000 years earlier (988 A.D.) and dedicated the land for the preaching of the Gospel. It is noteworthy that on the same day, statues of Lenin, who was a symbol of communism, were being pulled down in the capital city. In offering this prayer, Elder Packer said, "In this land, we see the day when there will be scattered in the villages here and there a member and yet another member and then a gathering and then a branch and in due time, stakes of Zion set firmly and permanently upon the fertile soil of Ukraine. And in due time, the spires of temples will be seen across this great land." These are the words of a seer and a revelator.

Vladmir's Statue

View from Vladmir's Park

He also said just 20 years before the dedication of the Kyiv Temple, "We remember those who have lived here in generations past and are now gone. We pray that this moment might be the beginning of an emancipation of their spirits in the world beyond through...sacred...ordinances. We pray that there will be an outpouring of the Spirit of Elijah, that the names will come forth, the records made available, and the ordinances performed for them in temples...in this land." This is indeed happening here today as faithful members of the church from all over Eastern Europe come to the Kyiv Temple with the names of their ancestors to perform these sacred ordinances for them. We feel so blessed to be a part of this exciting time in Eastern Europe when these prophecies are being fulfilled.

Quote for the Week is by Neal A. Maxwell. "Temple attendance is not a guarantee that we will become better, but it provides a powerful and pointed invitation to become better. The ways of the world receive constant reinforcement--should not the ways of heaven?"

Kyiv Ukraine Temple